Dating-stamp.



A. D. JOSLIN.

DATING STAMP.

APPLICATION nun 0012s, 1908.

' Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

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ALEXANDER D. JOSLIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DATING-STAMP Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed October 28, 1908. Serial No. 459,965.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER D. J osmx, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dating-Stan'ips, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to what are known as bottom dating stamps for the use of railroads and others requiring the dating of tickets, checks, letters, &c.

The invention is intended to form a simple, strong and durable construction, very convenient and easy of adjustment, and in many respects an improvement upon previous constructions.

The nature of the invention is fully set forth below, and will be understood from the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the stamp. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 2-2, 33 and t e respectively of F ig. 1. Fig. 5 shows the type wheels and their shaft detached. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the front of the stamp in a raised position. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the die plate partially covering the type wheels.

In said drawings, 6 represents the base and main frame of the machine, and 7 is a housing carrying the ribbon spools and pivoted to the main frame upon the pivot 8 so that its forward end can be raised at any time when it is necessary to clean the type wheels which it incloses.

The platen by which the impressions are made is shown at 9 and is mounted upon the arm 10 also pivoted on the pivot S, and having a lifting spring 11 inserted between it and the top of housing 7.

The type wheels or rings 12 are mounted upon a, transversely arranged revoluble shaft 13, mounted in parts let of the main frame, and giving opportunity for the placing of a sight opening 14% in the front of the housing through which the wheels can be read, the wheels being provided, as hereinafter explained, with duplicate characters which, when exposed at said opening give exact information of the type which are in acting position at the top under the ribbon. The type wheels or rings are all loose upon the shaft, which, as will be noticed, is solid and ofa large diameter as compared with the diameter of the wheels. The inner bearing surfaces of the type wheels are continuous and without the usual notches and accompanying spring latches engaging therewith from a stationary shaft, instead of which I make the shaft to revolve and provide the solid bearing type wheels shown mounted thereon and make the wheels to revolve with the shaft through the medium of washers 15 between each pair of wheels and outside of the first and last wheel, said washers being keyed to the shaft and always revolving therewith.

The wheels are securely held in position for printing by means of separate spring keys 18, more particularly described in the next paragraph. The type wheels may each be moved to any required position by turning the shaft by means of the adjusting wheel 16, the pinion 17 on the journal of said wheel and the nearest washer 15, which is toothed and meshes with said pinion, provided the wheel or wheels to be adjusted have been released by depressing the spring locking keys pertaining thereto.

The type wheels are thus provided on their peripheries with alternating raised and clepressed portions, the former being indlcated at 12 and carrying raised type 12 and the latter being indicated at 12 and carrying recessed characters 1%. The raised portions serve in conjunction with spring keys 18, to lock the wheels in their acting positions. The keys are of spring metal and are secured to the main frame at 19 and extend forward under the type wheels and the housing where they are convenient of access by the operator, and each carries two risers 20 adapted to engage the raised portions 12 of the wheels, thus locking the wheels as will be understood from Fig. 1. In adjusting the type wheels with this construction, it is only necessary to push the key of any wheel which it is desired to adjust downward so as to release it and then to turn the adjusting wheel until the type wheel reaches the desired position, the key being then allowed to return to itslocking position. It will be understood that the depressed characters 12 when visible at the reading opening 14, are identical with the reversed characters 12 which at the same time are at the printing line at the top of the wheels.

The ribbon 21 passes from a supply spool 22 over the tops of the series of type wheels and then down to a take up or feed spool 23. The former of these spools is provided with with arm extends forwardly from the pivot 8 and under the housing and enters an elongated opening in one end of a transverse lever 26, the other end of which is pivoted loosely upon the shaft 27 of the take up spool 23. This shaft 27 carries a ratchet wheel 28, which is engaged both by a gravi tating actuating pawl 29 pivoted to and carried by said lever 26 and by a gravitating holding pawl 30. lVith this construction, at each depressing of arm 10 the pawl 29 is drawn back on the wheel and engages a fresh tooth, so that when arm 10 rises and the pawl returns to its normal position, the latter will carry the ratchet wheel with it, and thus turn the spool. The holding pawl rides over the ratchet in this movement, and prevents any back movement by it. The ribbon mechanism is mainly located under cover of the housing 7.

hen it is desired to wind the ribbon on the supply spool, the pawls 29 and 30 are both held out of contact with the ratchet by lifting the lower one by means of the pin projecting therefrom and catching the point of pawl 29 against the projection 31 on the under surface of pawl 30. This engagement holds both pawls away from the ratchet as long as may be necessary for the winding, but it ends automatically and both pawls resume their acting positions as soon as the arm 10 is again operated.

32 is the die plate which covers the type wheels and is provided with engraved type characters which are printed with the date but which do not need to be changed. The center of this plate is cut away to expose the crown of the type wheels for printing purposes. As the under surface of this plate is necessarily made to conform to the curvature of the wheels, it follows that its side portions 33, are greatly reduced in thickness at their inner edges and in order to give them the strength necessary to enable them to withstand the blows from the platen, I make the plate in the form of an arch and buttress the sides by means of cross connecting braces or ribs, the braces or ribs extending below the periphery of the wheels and into the open spaces between them. I am enabled to do this by locating the braces over the washers 15, so that no interference with the wheels or washers is caused. I have shown the washers as of uniform width and with braces over each of them, but obviously some of the braces my be dispensed with, and some of the washers be reduced in width.

For holding up the portion of the ribbon which is over the type wheels when the housing is raised, 1 place guards 35 at the points shown in Fig. 4. The type shaft 13 may be held against longitudinal movement by any suitable means. I

Among the advantages attending the construction detailed above are the following: The type wheels or rings being fitted on a very solid revoluble shaft and rotated with the shaft by friction exerting devices, and locked by extraneous devices, I am enabled to dispense with the inside notches and spring catches usually employed, and obviate all lost motion and accidental jumping of the wheels either by the strokes of the platen head or by catching the ribbon. The ribbon feed devices work from inside of the frame, insuring stability of action and against accidental injury thereto. The type wheel adjusting shaft is located below the ribbon spool and extends out at the side of the machine, and is geared to said shaft, so that it is unnecessary to expose the wheels in order to adjust them. The reading opening or window enables the operator to know exactly what type are positioned at the printing line without removing the ribbon or uncovering the wheels. Having the ribbon spools at the sides of the wheels, permits the putting in of the reading window in front of the wheels showing the date corresponding with the printing characters at the printing line.

The construction illustrated enables me to use type wheels of small diameter, and yet find room for the ribbon spools at the sides, the. placing of the adjusting shaft in a plane below that of the spools avoiding any interference with them, and the gears enabling the operating of the type shaft notwithstanding this location of the adjustin shaft.

1' claim l. in a dating stamp, a series of type wheels arranged side by side, a revoluble shafton which the wheels are loosely mounted, spring catches individual to each wheel for locking the wheels against turning, friction exerting means upon the shaft adapted to cause the wheels to turn with the shaft, and means for turning the shaft, all located in the body of the stamp, in combination with ink ribbon supporting and feeding devices moving the ribbon transversely over the wheels, and a hinged housing in which said supporting and feeding devices are sup ported.

2. The combination in a dating stamp, of a series of type wheels or rings arranged side by side, a revoluble shaft on which the wheels are loosely mounted, automatically acting means for feeding a ribbon across said wheels, separate means engaging the periphery of each wheel and locking it against turning and releasable at will, washers between the wheels and keyed to the shaft and exerting friction on the wheels when :the shaft is turned, and means for turning the shaft.

3. The dating stamp wherein are combined dating type wheels arranged on a transverse shaft and independently adjustable thereon, an ink ribbon supported upon spools at the ends of the shaft and moving transversely over the wheels, means for feeding the ribbon automatically and a sight open ing in the inclosing part of the machine in front of the wheels through which they may be read, the wheels being provided with de pressed characters visible at said opening and corresponding with the type at the printing line and said inclosing part being hinged to the body of the stamp and containing the ribbon and its feeding devices and said sight opening.

4. The dating stamp wherein are combined a series of dating type wheels, arranged side by side on a shaft, said wheels being independently adjustable, a separate locking device for each ,wheel releasable at will, an ink ribbon moving transversely over and covering said wheels, and supported upon spools located at the ends of the shaft, means for feeding the ribbon automatically and a sight opening exposing said wheels in front, said wheels having characters visible at said opening corresponding to those positioned at the printing line.

5. Thedating stamp wherein are combined a series of dating type wheels, arranged side by side on a shaft, said wheels being independently adjustable, a separate locking device for each wheel, an ink ribbon moving over and covering said wheels, means for feeding the ribbon automatically, means for adjust-mg said wheels without disturbing .the ribbon and a sight opening exposing the wheels in front, said wheels having characters visible at the opening corresponding to those positioned at the printing line.

6. The dating stamp wherein are combined a series of dating type wheels, arranged side by side on a shaft, said wheels being independently adjustable, a separate locking device for each wheel, an ink ribbon moving over and covering said wheels, means for feeding the ribbon automatically, means for adjusting said wheels without disturbing the ribbon, and a sight opening exposing the wheels in front.

7. In a dating stamp the combination with a series of dating wheels spaced apart and comprising printing wheels for the month, for the day and for the year, read ing parallel to the axis, of a surface plate provided with unchanging printing characters, said plate extending up to the printing line of the wheels, and arched upon its underside so it may conform to the curvature of the wheels, and also having its sides buttressed by ribs extending across the printing line and into the space between the wheels, substantially as described.

8.111 a dating stamp the combination with a series of dating wheels spaced apart and comprising printing wheels for the month, for the day and for the year, reading parallel to the axis, of a surface printing plate placed over and partially covering the wheels and adapted to print therewith, said plate being arched upon the underside to conform to the wheels and having its sides buttressed by connecting ribs extending below the periphery of the wheels and below the printing line.

9. The combination with the ribbon spools, of the ratchet wheel on the axis of one of the spools, an actuating pawl and a holding pawl acting upon said ratchet, said pawls being provided with means whereby they may be locked together and retained out of action during the rewinding of the ribbon, and a transverse lever located interiorly of the stamp and on which said actuating pawl is mounted.

10. In a dating stamp, the combination of a series of type wheels on a shaft arranged transversely of the stamp, said wheels having alternate elevations and depressions on their peripheries, of a series of spring keys one for each wheel, said keys beiiig adapted to lock the wheels individually and being secured at one end stationaril y in the body of the stamp, and extending thence forward under the wheels which they lock and to the outside of the front of the stamp.

ll. The bottom dating stamp having a series of type wheels mounted upon a shaft which is stationarily located in the body of the stamp, said wheels having alternate elevations and depressions on their peripheries, in combination with a series of spring keys, one for each wheel, secured at one end in the body of the stamp and adapted to lock the wheels individually, the free ends of the. keys projecting from under the wheels to the outside.

12. The combination with a supporting shaft stationarily located in a bottom dating stamp and a series of type wheels loosely mounted thereon, but frictionally actuated therewith when not locked, the wheels having peripheral projections, of keys one for each wheel adapted to engage such projections and lock the wheels against turning, said keys being formed of spring metal secured at one end in the body of the stamp and extending to the outside of the stamp so as to be convenient of access.

3. The dating stamp having a transversely moving inking ribbon, mounted upon spools located at the sides of the printing devices, a hinged housing 7 supporting said spools, mechanism for feeding the ribbon located Within and supported by said housing and an interior arm 25 attached to the platen arm actuating said mechanism.

1-l.The dating stamp having a transversely moving inking ribbon, spools carrying said ribbon located one at each side of the printing center, mechanism for feeding said ribbon, a hinged housing in Which said spools and ribbon feeding mechanism are supported, the printing arm and devices located within the frame of the stamp and connecting the arm to said feeding devices.

15. The transversely moving inking ribbon, spools carrying said ribbon located one at each side of the printing center, mechanism for feeding the ribbon, type Wheels located on a transverse shaft, and a shaft for use in adjusting the wheels geared to the shaft and located in a plane below the ribbon spools.

16. In a dating stamp, type Wheels located at the front, a transversely revoluble shaft on which the Wheels are mounted, ribbon spools at each end of said shaft mov- 1g the ribbon transversely, a separate shaft 1 I 17. In a dating stamp, the combination with the housing 7 hinged to the frame of the stamp, of ribbon spools supported in the housing at the sides of the swinging end thereof, feeding devices for moving the ribbon also supported in said housing and an interior power arm actuating said feeding devices.

18. The combination in a dating stamp, of type wheels of small diameter, a transverse shaft supporting said Wheels, ribbon spools at the ends of said shaft, and an adjusting shaft located below the spools and geared to the type shaft.

ALEXANDER D. J OSLIN.

\Vitnesses VILLIAM A. GEIGER, H. M. MUNDAY, EDW. S. EVARTS. 

